BE the difference that you want to see! Live sustainably and responsibly! Leave a rich and beautiful heritage to the next generation! Don't Waste the Planet away! It's only 1... Don't make nature...history!! Make history NOW! You've got the POWER :) and the WILL! Now is the time to show you care!
Love and respect the people around you and Nature. Ride your Bike. Help the needy. Don't waste valuable resources. Live simple. Enjoy life to the fullest!
1. STOP WASTING FOOD, instead, buy and use only what you need. Make a budget of your expenses for food when you are not AWARE of how you spend. The following week, make a day by day account of what you buy and why, being AWARE that there are over ONE BILLION hungry people around the world...and you can help SOME of them!
4. Open an account/or have a special box in which you collect money which will later be INVESTED in improving the life of someone impoverished! You can also put such a box in your office and then decide together with your co-workers how to spend this money. (you can make an alternative box with Ideas how to tackle such issues or Wishes/Needs that people know about in your area etc.)
5. Write about POVERTY/HUNGER/WAYS to EMPOWER poor people/etc. etc. and share these thoughts/articles with your friends (by e-mails or social media outlets), e.g. instead of sending them FORWARDs which they probably don't bother to read, make it PERSONAL - tell them 'YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE'!
6. INSPIRE others for ACTION. Bring AWARENESS about poverty etc. in your country or around the world. Bring the ATTENTION of the public to these issues, e.g. write to your government, to all the media in your city etc.
7. Be an EXAMPLE to others! Don't indulge yourself in endless, futile consumerism/shopping. Don't buy stuff for the sake of buying it, for the sole sake of having the MOST fashionable look! Rather, set boundaries for yourself, invest your money wisely (no matter how much you actually have)!
8. Apart from money, what really matters is your ATTITUDE! Your willingness to DONATE your TIME and HEART into improving the lives of those in need, e.g. volunteer in an orphanage, for an organization delivering food to the hungry, organize a small group with which to discuss issues, to organize events, to share info. BE ACTIVE!!! (it can be people from your workplace, or church, or school, or neigbours).
9. Find a cause/an organization that interests you, that fascinates you, then get in touch with it, learn more about it, get involved in it! It does NOT matter how educated you are, what job position you have, how you look, or what your faith is, just BE COMPASSIONATE (check this)!
10. Use your talents, your professional skills, your social or work position to advance human efforts toward achieving the Millennium Development Goals (see here for more info) and ENDING POVERTY in all its dimensions! (Poverty is MULTIDIMENSIONAL and it limits the choices of people to develop and reach their full potential, it hinders them from living their lives to the fullest, therefore it restricts and robs them from FREEDOM!) “Poverty is lack of access to basic human needs such as food, clean water, health care, clothing, education and shelter.” (see here). If you are an architect, put your skills and knowledge in use for the poor in your community (cool projects to improve communities or volunteer with Habitat for Humanity); if you are a teacher, share with your children about the world, engage them in action, whether by organizing volunteer trips to nearby orphanages, or get them to collect goods, make sells of crafts they make in class and donate the money toward a cause, make them AWARE and ENGAGED young citizens!; if you are a student, get involved in social clubs that have community service programs etc. , get together with like-minded people, organize events on campus, inspire others with your own actions! if you are a businessman, make your business truly SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE, share your skills and resources with the poor, invest in such communities (building wells, providing micro-credits etc.), offer scholarships to students from impoverished communities etc.
YOU ARE SPECIAL AND UNIQUE! YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
THERE ARE A BILLION WAYS TO HELP THE BOTTOM BILLION!
it's a pity I didn't have time to work on this essay! I think it's a rather interesting topic and it's worth writing about...and the prizes are not bad at all. haha. anyways, next time I will know in advance and prepare better. so far so good :) hope you enjoy. comments are welcome. i will try to polish it later! :)
Ivana Koleva
“The principal dilemma provoked by globalization is inequality” [1] This sentence is derived from the book “Getting Globalization Right: The Dilemmas of Inequality”, in which the authors state that the question that still remains unsolved around the issue of globalization is not whether it should be supported or refuted but how to get it right, “in the sense of making its benefits more available and making them more equitable between countries and within countries” [2] by making a set of policies aimed at solving the existing problems. During the 2007 United Nations Ministerial Conference on ‘Making Globalization Work for the Least Developed Countries (LDCs)’[3], held in Istanbul (Turkey), the participants agreed that the central question and challenge remains how to maximize the gain while minimizing the pain in LDCs . All the parties who were there emphasized that “the current phase of globalization will be judged by whether it is able to transform itself into a vehicle of eradicating poverty, marginalization and inequality, and for promoting sustainable development.” The voices of the people who took part in this conference proclaimed that “This is the imperative of our time. Putting LDCs in the driver’s seat will be a prerequisite for this”[4] .
So, what is the optimal way of achieving this goal? How to make globalization work for the poor as well as the rich? Can it serve as a driving force for the development of all mankind or just a handful of corporations and powerful people? What did globalization bring with it and what are the prospects for its future? Did it undermine character and community or enhance their strength and role?
The answers to these questions can give us a glimpse of the work accomplished and that still unfinished in the process of globalization and will help us assess its influence on communities and character.
After the Cold War, there was a period marked with exhilaration over the victory of democracy and consequently liberal markets and free trade. The ‘Washington consensus’, promoting the liberalization of markets and opening of free trade, despite its positive effects though, eventually proved rather unsuccessful in various countries, often increasing tremendously the inequality gap between the poor and the rich, thus making the rich richer and the poor poorer. These have been referred to as the winners and the losers of globalization. When the prescribed medicine proved to be short of panacea capabilities, the world reconsidered its views on development and its true definition. Through this process of reassessment and redefining, the development concept evolved and transformed from simply meaning economic growth measured in GDP (in the 50’s-60’s), to a more comprehensive definition, acknowledging that development should be essentially used to mean human development and therefore it should encompass areas like health, life longevity, education access etc. This was a revolutionary transformation which led to many subsequent improvements and progress.
In 1987, the concept of sustainable development was put forward officially for the first time in the UN World Commission on Environment and Development, called “Our Common Future” [5]. It was used to mean "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs". Nevertheless, it was not until the mid-90’s and especially in the new millennium, that people have started to really understand, appreciate and pursue sustainable development, as a comprehensive, effective and necessary development approach. Before this, multinational corporations (MNCs) benefited largely from the unequal distribution of wealth, served political interests, used ‘sweat shops’ to pursue higher profits and were considered the biggest beneficiaries of the process of globalization. Many people blamed both, governments for their inability to control the MNCs and the corporations themselves, for impoverishing the already destitute people and becoming rich through sacrificing the development of these people.
In these rather uncertain, transitional times, a new phenomenon arose. Of course, it has existed in many forms since the early mission trips across the globe started, but its extent and functions had never been as broad and as distinguished as they have been since the 90’s. This phenomenon is known as ‘community service’ and ‘community-based development’. Despite the various programs the UN and its agencies had launched throughout the years, it was increasingly apparent that the gap between the rich and the poor in many countries is broadening rather than shrinking and it was becoming more difficult to reach the really poor and needy and provide them with the necessary services. Not only this, but, since most ‘third world’ countries were (and some continue to be) under a semi-authoritarian, authoritarian regime and lacked transparency, suffered from chronic corruption and regularly misused the funds they received, therefore, the provision of help was undermined and often, the most destitute never saw the humanitarian aid sent through big agencies.
I first became acquainted with the term ‘community service’ when I arrived in the USA. It was the year 2001 and I was sponsored by Rotary International with a full-year ambassadorial scholarship. The spring of 2002 a bunch of ladies from my college and I went off to Macon, Georgia to participate in a one week spree of constructing 12 houses for a poor neighborhood, with another 300 students from around the US. The experience taught me what it means to belong to a community and to serve a community. The entire community was involved in its own reconstruction (renovation) and everyone was a part of everyone else’s life, committing their time and efforts to assure each other’s wellbeing and better future. This is the principle by which Habitat for Humanity, the organization in holding the event, operates, and it has contributed to the building of thousands of affordable houses around the globe, but even more importantly, it has built communities, which are now better equipped to face the challenges of life. The spirit of belonging to a community truly inspires people to put more efforts, to perform better; it also gives them a sense of belonging and dignity. In the bible Jesus said, ‘love your neighbor as yourself’ [6] and through community service and community building, one can truly learn to love, appreciate and cooperate with his/her neighbor. This is, one of the foundations for sustainable development.
More and more non-profit organizations started working on the ground, establishing grass-root organizations which possessed the knowledge of the specific needs and desires of the given communities and therefore were quite successful in delivering just the right services to the most needy. The bottom-up development approach transformed the landscape of development. In this new landscape, the most important engines of development became the citizens and members of the community, as parts of a whole, not separate parts. They were not to remain passive recipients of aid anymore, but they were to be empowered to realize their full potential and escape the vicious cycle of poverty.
In the beginning of this process of transformation, private enterprises did not play a significant role and were rather isolated, only participating in the development process through seldom charity events and donations. This was largely due to their own wrong perception that no profit could be generated through helping the poorest, and as companies, their goal is to generate as much profit as they can, whilst the role of the government is to provide for the poor. Another obstacle for the active involvement of corporations in the development process was the suspicion with which they were looked upon by skeptics, who believed that nothing good can come out of engaging the ‘profit-generating machines’ in non-profit generating activities. Corporations were often associated with immoral and unethical behavior, mostly comparable with the Karl Marx’s description of capitalism and the monopolists who exploited the working class. Such stories were not rare, especially the evidence of wide-spread use of child labor and ‘sweat shops’ established in various developing countries. At the same time, the belief that many corporations used neocolonial style techniques to strip the raw- material rich countries from their resources and not really bring any development to them, was pervasive [7]. Nevertheless, this was soon to change. First of all, the concept of sustainable development gained ground and prompted many companies to reconsider their activities and especially the impact they have on the environment and on human development. The UN Global Compact Initiative, the world’s largest corporate citizenship and sustainability initiative, was established. The companies participating in this initiative, have to adhere to the ten universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labor, environment and anti-corruption [8] . These principles have served to assure the important role that private enterprises have come to play in the process of development and globalization. The principle of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) also became popular and is increasingly becoming imperative for companies to adopt as part of their core programs. People demand transparency and accountability from companies and it is increasingly becoming a common knowledge that the role of private enterprises and businesses, in general, in achieving the common goals of humankind for development is crucial. CSR does not simply imply charity events and donations, but a transformation of the core values of private enterprises, working together with all other international and local actors to establish a society based on the principle of sustainable development.
A development that brought all actors on the international stage together is the so-called ‘international community’ phenomenon. This concept has gained much interest and attention in the last decade and it is increasingly believed that an international community is arising, which shares common goals and ideas, and which, united, can achieve much progress and development.
In the year 2000, during the Millennium Summit, the UN General Assembly adopted the “Millennium Declaration”, focusing on the essential principles of sustainable development that all countries should adhere to. Following the adoption of the declaration, the international community, including governments, government-based organizations, non-government organizations etc. actors, all agreed upon eight common development goals, later known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which have to be achieved by the year 2015 [9]. These common goals have urges and stimulated the entire international community to unite efforts in the fight against poverty, inequality, and towards justice, peace, and sustainable development. Goal number 8 recognizes the significant role that the economy and especially free markets, play in enhancing the development of the least developed countries. Some of its targets include more cooperation with the private sector in bringing new technologies to the poor and increasing their opportunities for more fair access to markets.
Since the adoption of the MDGs by the international community, a multitude of different efforts, varying in scope and success, have been launched to assure the achievement of the goals. One of the key features of these efforts has been the active participation of the local communities and their empowerment. Despite the definite need of the state to create and implement pro-poor development policies, like poverty reduction plans etc., the need for bottom-up development approach has become more and more widely accepted. It is exactly there that a new kind of economic activity has spread and has born many fruits. Microfinance. In the past, private enterprises, banks, etc. considered microfinancing, especially microfinancing targeted towards the poorest, a waste of time and resources, since it was believed that these people cannot benefit from it, cannot generate profit, and cannot operate efficiently. Therefore, often times, companies and other donors preferred to send aid, rather than to invest in equipping the poor communities with entrepreneurship skills. Nevertheless, this time has passed and “to date, a successful microfinance industry has been built that is effective in reaching millions of poor people, in providing them with financial services, and in reducing their poverty”[10]. Even though “like many other development tools [microfinance] has insufficiently penetrated the poorer strata of society”[11] , in recent years more and more emphasis is put on the improvement of the services of microfinance institutions (MFIs) to ensure their successful outreach to the most underprivileged communities and people. MFIs have been instrumental in empowering entire communities, especially women, previously denied the right to perform economic activity. The importance of entrepreneurship has been widely acknowledged as a rather optimal choice for development. One of the recent examples of a leader in great favor of promoting empowerment of the communities through entrepreneurship is the Rwandan president, Paul Kagame, who has put forward an ambitious plan to transform its country into an entrepreneurship society.
What is, after all, the link between globalization, community and character? In recent years, globalization, defined as the rising global civic community, involved in the building of a better future for all, fighting for the eradication of extreme poverty and striving to bring equality and justice to all communities, has been instrumental in empowering local communities and bringing the benefits of the process to the poorest. The catch phrase “Think globally, act locally” is not simply a phrase anymore, it is reality. It is the way forward, the right development approach which builds active and socially responsible citizens, aware of the problems of their communities and involved in solving these problems! Therefore, globalization has the potential to bring up a new generation of global citizens, who think both globally and locally, as well, as contribute to the development of even the most impoverished communities.
The pursuit of human development, and not just blind economic growth has become the core goal of the international community. It is true that globalization has contributed greatly toward the increased levels of inequality present in the world now, but globalization is also the key to solving this problem, and delivering a better future to all.
The key to the success in the fight against poverty is for communities, enterprises, governments, NGOs etc. members of the international community to unite efforts and meet the challenges and opportunities together. United, their unique contributions of funding, technical skills, know-how or strategy are able to bring about tangible, positive and lasting change in the world.
Can character and communities survive in an age of globalization then? Yes. Even more so than before, because communities have started to arise, to unite, to be empowered and to seek their own well-being, while globalization has the potential to equip them with the necessary tools to reach their goals faster, more efficiently. People’s mind-sets have started to transform as well, and from being self-centered and seeking their own good alone, they have began to realize the great joy and harmony that exist in sharing responsibilities and benefits. Now, this is a major shift in character! Globalization has lured us with prospects for quick success and development, but here and now, we have the chance to experience a different aspect of its multi-faceted nature. Globalization has stirred the passion and desire in communities and individuals to unite and act together, to fight and achieve together, to become confident and responsible citizens, whose aim is to make their backyard, neighborhood, village, town, country and ultimately the world a better, more just and more equal place! All that is needed is enough will and faith in the power that arises when people are willing to put aside their differences and focus their strengths, talents, and resources on achieving their common goals!
[1] Tulchin S. Joseph, Gary Bland ed., Getting Globalization Right – the Dilemmas of Inequality, (Lynne Rienner Publishers, Boulder London), 2005, p.2
[2] Ibid, 2
[3] The United Nations Ministerial Conference of the Least Developed Countries, ‘Making Globalization Work for the LDCs’, Turkey, 2007
[7] Moon Jeremy, The Contribution of Corporate Social Responsibility to Sustainable Development, Sustainable Development, 15, 206-306 (2007) (accessed through Wiley InterScience, www.interscience.wiley.com)
"Where there is no vision, the people perish, but he that keeps the law, happy is he" Prov.29:18
This is an essay I submitted for a competition organized by Seven Fund www.sevenfund.org. We had to take the role of president Kagame's main policy adviser and design a policy action plan to turn his vision for the country into practice. He believes that the advancement and development of entrepreneurship should be the main engine for sustainable development and only through this development approach the full potential of the Rwandan people can be realized! Here is the essay. I welcome and comments, suggestions and opinions. Due to the lack of time (I got to know about it just a few days ago), my preparation wasn't as extensive, as I would like it to be, but this is at least an initial step. Enjoy reading! :)
Your Excellency Mr. President Kagame,
In the light of our discussions on the specific policies which Rwanda needs to undertake in order to achieve the goals set in 'Vision 2020' and the Millennium Development Goals, as well as the goals set in the EDPRS (Economic Development Poverty Reduction Strategy) 2008-2012, I have designed the following 24-point policy plan. It was created to cover extensively the top priorities set by you as stated on various occasions. Their focus is unquestionably the development and expansion of the private sector with strong emphasis on entrepreneurship development. These policies do not aim to encompass all possible approaches to achieving the goals, but they are comprehensible enough to grasp some of the key areas of focus in the process. An important feature is the goal for innovation and diversification of options in the process of development.
Our core goal is the eradication of extreme poverty and provision of opportunities for all Rwandan people to develop their full potential and live better, more sustainable lives. The way forward to make this goal a reality constitutes of several important steps, which all aim to empower the disadvantaged and underprivileged groups of society. The first set of policies targets the strengthening and improvement of microfinance within Rwanda, and the second set of policies acknowledges various challenges and opportunities in the development process and maps out ways to overcome the challenges and utilize the opportunities presented to our country.
Our government recognizes the challenge to find feasible development options that take into account the specific realities of Rwanda and in particular the scarcity of skilled labor, lack of basic infrastructure and very low levels of FDI. In order to overcome these challenges, we need to emphasize the central role that microfinance institutions (MFIs) should play in all our efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. MFIs have already proved their efficiency in alleviating poverty and providing opportunities for development, especially to the poorest. There are several aspects in which the government can play an active role in further enhancing their role and facilitating their actions:
1. We need to continue pursuing a strongly pro-poor oriented economic policy and recognize the key role of microfinance services in tackling poverty. 2. We need to continue to encourage MFIs to design poverty-focused microfinance models which will deliver appropriate financial and non-financial products to the most needy. The government can facilitate the provision of some of these services. In order for this to happen, MFIs operating around Rwanda need to have direct connection with the government to inquire information or any other necessary assistance. Therefore, we need to assign a special position within the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Investment Promotion, Tourism and Cooperatives (MCIIPTC) to facilitate the connection and coordinate actions.
3. The government needs to implement solid macroeconomic policies, avoiding high inflation. It is also advisable that it liberalizes the interest rates for microfinance, using competition rather than interest rate ceilings to encourage efficiency and lower interest rates over time.
4. It should also undertake the promotion of performance indicators and standards that encourage transparency and sound performance across the range of institutions engaged in microfinance. This will be accomplished through the establishment of a specialized microfinance rating agency. Simple and rigorous reporting requirements must be set.
5. In order to help MFIs overcome the difficulties they face in achieving financial sustainability, we need to recognize that microfinance is a vital part of the financial system and to get more involved by deploying the government’s financial service infrastructures in a way increasingly intended to meet the demand of most citizens. We need to assure the integration of MFIs into domestic financial markets. We can permit the regulated MFIs that meet prudential standards to mobilize deposits from the public, with more liberal treatment of savings mobilization from MFI borrowers.
6. Another useful measurement can be fair tax treatment, including temporary tax incentives for MFIs undertaking the costs of converting to formal, regulated structures.
7. The government is also responsible for making the public familiar with the way MFIs operate and explain to them the reasons for the higher interest rates for micro-loans in comparison with those for corporate finance.
8. Information and communication technology is the key to facilitating and expanding the scope and breadth of MFIs and their overall impact on poverty alleviation as well as the overall long-term development of the country. In this respect, the government should encourage and invest in providing the technological tools necessary to improve the management of microfinance projects. The most feasible choice will be enhanced technological transfer from donor countries, especially China. We also need to ensure, by monitoring and directing the technological assistance, that it reaches the most vulnerable and destitute. Therefore, close contact with MFIs working on the ground is essential.
9. Special attention must be turned to the needs of women and other vulnerable groups, like orphans or disabled people. Only by acknowledging their specific needs and potential, can Rwanda meet its MDG goals and develop in a sustainable manner. Women’s political empowerment in Rwanda has become a landmark of its development and pioneer spirit, but much more effort needs to be put in empowering women economically. The threat of the ‘feminization of poverty’ in Rwanda is evident. The marginalization of orphans and other disadvantaged groups from the development process is also apparent. Therefore, the government must take measures to transform this disastrous trend. MFIs are especially effective in targeting disadvantaged groups but more effort is needed to ensure the accessibility of micro-credits to women and orphans and their ability to fully benefit from these credits. The government needs to cooperate with MFIs to ensure this. We must take the initiative to gather information on women’s needs and design products specifically to meet those needs. We must ensure that women and women’s perspectives are brought into the governance, management, and implementation of microfinance programs.
The government’s main priority has to be investment in information and communication technologies, thus leading Rwanda towards becoming a knowledge-based economy. We will need the help of partners and great efforts on our side to succeed. But with the right policies in place, this is by no means an unachievable goal. These policies should be designed to tackle the most pressing issues impending Rwanda from achieving rapid and sustainable development. These include lack of skilled labor, lack of infrastructure, especially transport, lack of sustainable energy and lack of technology. Therefore:
10. The government needs to prioritize national policies to build productive capacity in the national development plans, for infrastructure as well as vocational and entrepreneurial skills.
11. To improve the efficiency of tax systems and collection to maximize the contribution of domestic resources to public investment.
12. We must vigorously pursue to attract more investment, both ODA and FDI. The government must turn special attention to China as a source for technological transfer (ICT) and as an infrastructure investor. Rwanda-China relations must be strengthened. Rwanda must continue the current educational exchange program with China which provides technology-related training courses to Rwandan students, who in return need to serve work in Rwanda. It needs to find more partners willing to invest in the development of productive capacities, including productive resources, technological development and innovation in both agricultural and non-agricultural sectors, entrepreneurial capabilities and production linkages, and related resources, especially infrastructure and institutions. In this respect, China and other significant partners can play an even more major role and bring know-how, provide the necessary funds to stimulate research and development and investment in education (not only primary, but also secondary and tertiary)! To facilitate this process, we must design an attractive plan to attract China and other partners.
13. In this respect, investment in sustainable energy sources is essential for the overall development. We must define national energy access goals and targets in our macro-development strategies, policies and programs, and estimate the costs to meet the targets. Such clear policies will invite investment into the field. Tax incentives to support the deployment of modern energy technologies will be crucial. We need to reform subsidies to support sustainable development and offer loan guarantees to SMEs building energy businesses in Rwanda. Training and cooperation with other partners must be a priority for building capacity and attracting investment.
14. Public-private partnerships that assist farmers with access to credit, technical assistance, c capacity building, marketing information and crop and product diversification must be established and encouraged. We should also encourage joint research initiatives in different areas, both within the region or internationally and stimulate regional technological sharing.
15. Rwanda needs to extensively research and map out its industries with strong comparative advantages. New industries with the potential to have comparative advantages must be acknowledged and developed in order to stimulate economic diversification.
16. Promoting a green revolution in basic staples should be a priority for the government and we need to persuade partners and donors to share more efficient and environmentally friendly technologies with us.
17. To transform Rwanda into an entrepreneurship country, we need to take a step away from the social welfare and subsidy approach, which doesn’t create a knowledge-based economy. The government needs to remove itself from direct lending to poor people and instead, invest in delivering more training-related services to them, thus empowering them.
18. One way to deliver training and create a favorable environment for research can be the establishment of co-joint workshop training centers, which will be equipped and managed by both Rwandan and Chinese (or others). These centers will provide entrepreneurial skills training with the possibility for connection with MFIs, as well as help for existing small and informal activities to be transformed into organized small-scale enterprises, which will have a greater potential to develop technological capabilities and innovate. We must allocate a greater budget for research and development.
19. Our government needs to encourage and stimulate innovation (in microfinance and economic diversification), which will be the key to any efforts to enhance the economic performance of the country and ensure its long-term sustainable development. In order for this to happen, the government has to ensure the strengthening of the capabilities of entrepreneurs (management and organization) and the labor force (crafts and technical skills, design and engineering skills) as well as the provision of certain financial incentives to stimulate these ( e.g. credit subsidies, tax incentives, and matching grants for innovation projects).
20. We need to explore the great opportunities presented by the so-called “creative economy”. It refers to the interface among creativity, culture, economics and technology, as expressed in the ability to create and circulate intellectual capital, which in turn has the potential to generate income, jobs and export earnings while at the same time promoting social inclusion, cultural diversity and human development.
21. In order to achieve this, we should undertake various initiatives. First, establish a body in charge of mapping inventors of cultural assets and industries, market development through promotion of the creative industries both domestically and internationally, outlining the challenges that inventors and artists face (e.g. lack of financial sustainability, low competitiveness) and finding creative ways to overcome them. Value chain analysis must be used to identify the creative products and services with particular competitive advantages or that are capable of being developed as niche markets in particular situations. The body will be assigned with the task of developing strategies for expanding the scope of creative industries and identifying the strong areas of Rwanda. It will be responsible for establishing workshop centers (both in urban and rural areas) where more people will have the chance to undergo training and become employed in one of the industries. This should be a joint effort of the government (Ministry of CIIPTC), private businesses, NGOs (especially MFIs), international donors and civil society.
22. To facilitate this process, we need to take urgent measures and press for the establishment of copyright legislation and enforcement, which in turn will ensure the artists' intellectual property protection, benefits and earnings. Another possible way to stimulate artists will be by supporting them directly (via fiscal means) or indirectly (through encouragement of private-sector support). The expansion of digital capacity and know-how, as well as data collection and institutional building will be important parts of the process as well.
23. The development of creative industries will facilitate the process of full integration and empowerment of the vulnerable groups discussed in point 9.
24. A database with illustrative cases, best practices, and even lessons from failed projects, both in microfinance and creative economy etc., must be compiled by the government in cooperation with NGOs etc. to serve as guidelines for action.
I sincerely hope that Your Excellency will be content with the outlined policy action plan. I will be more than happy to further discuss any questions or comments that you might raise. I believe that our united efforts will bring Your vision for this nation into practice and that Rwanda will reap the fruits from its hard work!
With respect,
Ivana Koleva, Policy Advisor
06.12.2008
Kigali, Rwanda
References:
1. “Making Globalization Work for the Least Developed Countries”, UNDP 2008. 2. Sam Daley-Harris, “Pathways out of Poverty”, Kumarian Press Inc., 2002. 3. “Creative Economy Report 2008”, UNDP, UNCTAD, 2008. 4. MDG report Rwanda, 2007. Check out the rest!
I will soon post the following articles, hope they might be interesting and informative to you!
"India's third gender - the Hijra phenomenon, reflections on Identity and Categorization". "A Tale of Two Slums - Kibera and Dharavi, looking closer at MDG7's target towards providing at least 1mln of the 1bln people living in slums with sustainable housing." "Thirsty for real change - the story of Inequality through the lenses of Water Inequality".
I intend to post more polls and discussion themes concerning development issues and would love to get your feedback and suggestions. My hope is that more people from every nation and every age will get together to discuss the issues relevant to our world, with the sincere desire to one day bring real change!
Please, join me in these discussions and leave your comments on my blog entries! Be blessed!
UNDP Bulgaria is in the final stage of the completion of its second MDG report (the baseline report was launched in 2003), which turns special attention to the need of improving education on all levels. Therefore, it has modified MDG2 for the Bulgarian context as “Improving primary and secondary education”. Thus, UNDP, together with its partners, hopes to raise the awareness among Bulgarian policy-makers and the general population of the need of urgent reforms in the existing educational system! The report acknowledges the importance of the successful achievement of MDG2 for the meeting of all other goals and provides specific measures, strategies, and advice directed to the responsible stakeholders. It will be presented during the High-Level event on MDGs on Sept.25th in New York. It will be available then, on http://www.undp.bg/.
Millennium Development Goals
!UPCOMING! MDGs progress in Bulgaria
I will post two short articles that i wrote about the upcoming MDG national report for Bulgaria, during my internship in UNDP Bulgaria. They will be published in one of the UNDP bulletins and on UNDP Bulgaria's website. The first one is called "A man reaps what he sows" and discusses the report more generally, while the other is called"Quality Future" and analyzes MDG 2 (Education) in the context of Bulgaria, emphasizing the need of Quality education for all! Check out soon! 1st article available at : http://www.undp.bg/directions_bulletin.php?id=2670&lang=en
!UPCOMING SOON!
bits of fresh insight into the world ofWOMEN -women as mothers, women's empowerment, gender equality, women as warriors, women as unique creations of God, their right to lead a dignified and decent life without violence and fear!
FACTORY FOR HAPPINESS
I venture to challenge you to take the time and consider making SOMEONE...anyone HAPPY today. Come and let us WORK together to produce happiness in large quantities and distributeto all who are in despair and need a life-saving dose of JOY.
People refer to such acts as - random acts of kindness...but since we will be co-workers in one such non-profit enterprise, here, i will name them "happy-moodies" (goodies) and each one of the contributors to the production and delivery of any kind of happy-goody to anyone, will be considered a "happy-maker" .
Come and join me today, leave your "work-well-done" stories on my blog and let us strive to deliver joy to ALL who need it! It is my humble belief that NOTHING is IMPOSSIBLE where there is FAITH and DEDICATION! :)
it takes just a smile...to save someone from the pit :)
God bless you all!
THIS I BELIEVE...
...TRUE LOVE CONQUERS ALL ...NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THOSE WHO BELIEVE ...EVERYONE DESERVES A CHANCE TO LIVE A DECENT LIFE ...EVERYONE NEEDS LOVE ...GOD LOVES EACH ONE OF US IMMENSELY AND PRFOUNDLY, FOREVER AND EVER ...THERE IS HEAVEN AND HELL ...WE NEED TO SPREAD LOVE, NOT BULLETS ...WE NEED TO BE HUMBLE, IN ORDER TO BE LIFTED UP ...I AM HERE TO SERVE AND NOT TO BE SERVED ...JESUS DIED FOR MY SINS AND ROSE ON THE THIRD DAY ...WOMEN ARE OF THE SUPER-CREATIONS OF GOD ...IT'S TOTALLY JOYFUL TO BE A BLESSING TO SOMEONE ...IT'S NOT ABOUT ME ...LIFE HAS A MEANINGFUL PURPOSE FOR EACH ONE ...WE NEED A LOVE REVOLUTION ...TO BE A LEADER ONE NEEDS TO BE A SERVANT ...FAITH CAN MOVE MOUNTAINS ...I AM BLESSED ... ... ... ... ... ... I AM A BELIEVER THEEEESE I DO BELIEVE, WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE?
I am passionate about development work, such that empowers the most vulnerable people with the tools and knowledge that will allow them to overcome the vicious cycle of poverty and climb up the ladder of development to reach their full potential and live dignified lives! My dream is to devote my life to working with organizations - small and big - which are committed to operating efficient development projects targeting the poorest and most vulnerable people, equipping them to lead better lives, rather than simply handing them aid. I wish to strive to create safe and peaceful communities, where children can receive quality education and opportunities for development, where women can feel safe and operate small businesses through various micro-finance programs, where families can generate incomes that will allow them to be self-sufficient and live decent lives.
www.350.org"
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